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Commentaries and Other Bible Study Helps - Prayer Tents - Prayer Tents
1:9-18 Encouragement to Trust in the Land of Promise. Before rehearsing the departure from Horeb as v. 6 anticipated, Moses recalls the appointment of tribal heads to help Moses judge and lead the people (Ex. 18:18-26; cf. Num. 11:14ff.). Rather than digressing from the theme of the land, this section reminds Israel that God has already been faithful to another part of the Abrahamic promises, namely, offspring.
1:10 numerous as the stars of heaven. Cf. the promise to Abraham of offspring (Gen. 15:5). Having just exhorted Israel regarding the promise of land in Gen. 15:18-21 (a promise yet to be fulfilled), Moses refers to a promise already fulfilled in order to stir up Israel's faith that God will keep the land promise.
1:12-18 The need for leaders to help Moses is tangible evidence that the promise to Abraham of offspring has been fulfilled. In the Exodus parallel (Ex. 18:13-26), Moses' father-in-law, Jethro, encourages Moses to appoint tribal heads to share in judging between disputants.
1:13 The process to appoint leaders involved the people nominating the judges and Moses confirming them; Ex. 18:25 simply summarizes that Moses chose them.
1:16-17 alien. Aliens were non-Israelites who resided in the land and accepted Israelite rule and law but did not own land and were hence vulnerable to oppression. Deuteronomy consistently upholds the equal rights of aliens and Israelites (e.g., 10:19; 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:14, 17, 19-21; 26:11-13; 27:19). You shall not be partial in judgment. Impartiality is a prerequisite for good judgment as well as a characteristic of God himself (10:17).
